Do any Vedic verses depict Lord Vishnu to be supreme?

Question

Are there any verses from Vedas and the Upanishads that show Lord Vishnu as supreme?

Answer 1

Yes, Rig Veda (1.22.20) makes it very clear that it is Vishnu who empowers all the heavenly Devas extolled and glorified in the Vedas.

Vishnu occupies the paramount position. All the other deities look always to His feet.

Rig Veda 10.113.2 states:

Vishnu is glorified because of who and what He intrinsically is. Indra, on the other hand, is only glorious circumstantially.

Rig Veda 1.156.2 states:

Vishnu is the most ancient of all, yet also the most recent. Nothing and no one creates Vishnu, yet Vishnu creates everyone and everything.

The Narayana Suktam of the Yajurveda states:

Narayana is the Lord of the universe. This master is the ruler of himself. He is the eternally auspicious one and he is constant and unchanging. This Narayana is the highest thing to be known. He is the inner-psyche of all. He is the supreme object and the highest goal of attainment.

Narayana is the supreme Brahman. Narayana is the supreme Reality. Narayana is the supreme Light. Narayana is the supreme Self. Narayana is the most excellent meditate and meditation.

The Narayana Upanishad states:

The supreme person Narayana willed to create beings. From Narayana emerged the life principle.

From Narayana emerged the mind and all the senses. From Narayana, came Vayu, Surya, Varuna and Prithvi, which became the constituents of the Universe.

From Narayana came Brahma. From Narayana emerged Maha-Rudra. From Narayana came Indra.

From Narayana came all the Prajapatis. From Narayana came the twelve sons, the eight Vasus, the Rudra and all the Vedas.

All beings emerged from Narayana. Narayana sustains all beings. Every being merges into Narayana. Narayana is the eternal principle.

Brahma is Narayana. Shiva is Narayana. Indra is Narayana. Earth and Heaven are Narayana.

Time verily is Narayana. Directions are Narayana. The upper world is Narayana. The nether world is Narayana. Narayana forms the inner as well as the outer worlds.

Everything is a manifestation of Narayana. He is both past, present and future.

Narayana is immaculate, ever blissful, blemishless and non-dual. Narayana is the Supreme Self without a moment. This is declared by the Yajurveda. Narayana, who is also known as Vishnu, pervades the whole universe and it is He alone who exists.

Later on, the same Upanishad also states:

The seat of Narayana is the lotus of the heart. The knowledge of Narayana alone is the highest form of wisdom. Sri Krishna, the son of Devaki, who is the vanquisher of Madhu is the ultimate Brahman. He alone resides in all beings. He is both the causeless and the cause of everything.

Answer 2

Both Purusha Suktam The primordial diety in rig Veda and Narayana Suktam the Para Brahman of Yajur Veda are addressed to Lord Vishnu.

Both of those suktams alone outweigh any other hymns to any other devas in any of the four Vedas.

Also the Vishnu who is one among the Adityas- one of the son of Aditi is not Lord Vishnu himself but the Vamana avatar which was born to Aditi, Vishnu name in rig Vedic samhitas are used for two different deities. One for adityas and other for lotus feet, Sudarshan bearing Vishnu.

Vishnu 12 among the Adityas is Vamana, while the yajnapati vishnu in rig Veda(Brahmana portion) is addressed to Laxmi Pati Vishnu, and Purusha Sukta is also addressed to Laxmipati Vishnu.

Aitareya Brahmana 1.1.1 –

agnirvai devanamavamo vishnuh paramah tadantara sarva devatah

“Agni is the lowest and Vishnu is the highest among devas. All other gods occupy positions that are in between.”

Taittiriya Samhita 5.5.1 –

aniravamo devatAnAM viShNuH paramaH

Vishnu is the supreme amongst devatas.

Vishnu is celebrated as yajnapati, in Vedas, purusha sukta also calls purusha as yajnapati as well as the husband of Laxmi which makes it clear that it is being addressed to Lord Vishnu.

Two Shrutis never contradict each other, the Sri sukta also calls Laxmi the consort of Vishnu.

Answer 3

Narayanatharbasir Upanishad:

It is from Narayana only that everything is generated, by Him only everything is maintained and in Him only everything is annihilated. Therefore Narayan is eternally existent. Whatever is there it is nothing but Narayana—everything that is now in existent and everything that will be created in future also. Narayana is the unadulterated Deity and there is only Narayana and nothing else.

Narayana Upanishad:

"From whom everything is emanated. The whole universe is emanated.

Bhagavat Purana (11.3.34-35)

**—Brahman and Paramatma are synonyms of Narayana. Oh you who are conversant in the transcendental knowledge be unto Him. He is the cause of all causes in the matter of creation, maintenance and destruction. He is present in all stages of manifestation, non-manifestation and potential. All functions of the body and senses including the pulsating heart everything conducted by Him only and everything is kept in action and for this reason He is the King of all living creatures.

Narayana Suktam from YajurVeda:

Patim viswasyaatma-eesvara(gu)m saasvatagum sivamachyutam | Naaraayanam mahaagneyam viswaatmaanam paraayanam |

Narayana is the Lord of the universe. This master is the ruler of himself. He is the eternally auspicious one and he is constant and unchanging. This Narayana is the highest thing to be known. He is the inner-psyche of all. He is the supreme object and the highest goal of attainment.

Naaraayana param Brahma tatvam naaraayanah paraha | Naaraayana paroe jyotihi aatmaa Naaaraayanaha paraha | naaraayana paroe dhyaata dhyaaanam Naaraayanaha paraha |

Narayana is the supreme Brahman. Narayana is the supreme Reality. Narayana is the supreme Light. Narayana is the supreme Self. Narayana is the most excellent meditate and meditation.

Answer 4

Narayana Upanishad

Om. Then Nārāyaṇa, the supreme Purusha desired. "I shall create offspring." From Nārāyaṇa emanates prāṇa, manas, the several organs of sense and action, ākāś, vāyu, agni, āpas and pṛṭhivī that supports all. From Nārāyaṇa emanates Brahmā. From Nārāyaṇa emanates Ruḍra. From Nārāyaṇa emanates Inḍra. From Nārāyaṇa emanates Prajāpaṭi (the divine progenitor). From Nārāyaṇa emanates the twelve āḍiṭyas, ruḍras, vasus, and all the chhanḍas (Veḍas). From Nārāyaṇa only do (all these) proceed. Through Nārāyaṇa do (they) prosper. In Nārāyaṇa (they) are absorbed. The Ṛgveḍa teaches this.Then Nārāyaṇa is eternal. Brahmā is Nārāyaṇa, Śiva is Nārāyaṇa, Inḍra is Nārāyaṇa, Kāla (time) is Nārāyaṇa, Ḍik (space) is Nārāyaṇa, the intermediate quarters also are Nārāyaṇa; that which is above is Nārāyaṇa, that which is below is Nārāyaṇa, that which is in and out is Nārāyaṇa, the whole universe which existed and will exist is Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is the only one that is stainless, sinless, changeless, and unnameable, and that is pure and divine. There is no second. Whoever knows Him thus, becomes Vishṇu Himself. The Yajurveḍa teaches this.

Narsimha Tapani Upanishad

2. He is called “Veera [heroic]” because by his power He makes all worlds, all devas, all beings and all boothas play, and allow them to take rest and also creates, helps them grow and attracts without any break these worlds, devas, beings and boothas. He is behind every action, very capable, mountain like and one who fulfills the desires of devas.

3. He is “Maha Vishnu”, because he pervades in all the worlds and makes all the world pervade, similar to the fatty gum that spreads in all meat, from this side to that and also from other side to this side. There is nothing in the world that is not him. He is pervading in all things in the world. He is the leader of all souls. Worship of souls is His worship. He exists in all the three shining things viz. Moon, Sun and fire.

Kali Santara Upanishad

He shakes off (the evil effects of) Kali through the mere uttering of the name of the Lord Nārāyaṇa, who is the primeval Purusha." Again Nāraḍa asked Brahma: "What is the name?" To which Hiraṇyagarbha (Brahma) replied thus: (the words are:) "1. Harē, 2. Rāma, 3. Harē, 4. Rāma, 5. Rāma, 6. Rāma, 7. Harē, 8. Harē; 9. Harē 10. Kṛshṇa, 11. Harē, 12. Kṛshṇa, 13. Kṛshṇa, 14. Kṛshṇa 15. Harē, 16. Harē. These sixteen names (words) are destructive of the evil effects of Kali. No better means than this is to be seen in all the Veḍas.

Rama Tapaniya Upanishad

Brahma then thought in his mind about that Maha Vishnu, who is the foundation of this world, who is that Narayana, who does not have any deficiencies and who is that Parameshwara, who is of the form of Para Brahman and who is full of complete joy and then worshipped him as follows: 2

Rama Rahasya Upanishad

6. He who is the Paramatma to those thinkers, who shines like the millions of Suns, who is like Narayana residing in the nadi-s, who is digestive fire.

Tarasara Upanishad

2. Then Bharadvaja asked Yajnavalkya: “What is Taraka ? What is that which causes one to cross (this mundane existence)”. To which Yajnavalkya replied: “Om Namo Narayanaya is the Taraka. It should be worshipped as Chidatma. Om is a single syllable and of the nature of Atman. Namah is of two syllables and is of the nature of Prakriti (matter). Narayanaya is of five syllables and is of the nature of Parabrahman. He who knows this becomes immortal. Through ‘Om’, is Brahma produced; through ‘Na’ is Vishnu produced; through ‘Ma’ is Rudra produced; through ‘Na’ is Ishvara produced; through ‘Ra’ is the Anda-Virat (or Virat of the universe) produced; through ‘Ya’ is Purusha produced; through ‘Na’ is Bhagavan (Lord) produced; and through ‘Ya’ is Paramatman produced. This Ashtakshara (eight syllables) of Narayana is the supreme and the highest Purusha. Thus is the Rig-Veda with the first foot (or half).

Gopala Upanishad

2. Om. Some sages said to the demigod Brahma: “Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Whom does death fear? By knowing whom does everything else become known? Who created this world.
3. Brahma replied to them: “Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Death fears Govinda. By understanding Gopijanavallabha everything becomes known. By pronouncing the word “svaha” the Personality of Godhead created the world.

• Rigveda 1:22:20

Vishnu occupies the paramount position. All the other deities look always to His feet.

• Rigveda 7:99

1. MEN come not nigh thy majesty who growest beyond all bound and measure with thy body. Both thy two regions of the earth, O Visnu, we know: thou God, knowest the highest also.2. None who is born or being born, God Visnu, hath reached the utmost limit of thy grandeur. The vast high vault of heaven hast thou supported, and fixed earth's eastern pinnacle securely.3. Rich in sweet food be ye, and rich in milch-kine, with fertile pastures, fain to do men service. Both these worlds, Visnu, hast thou stayed asunder, and firmly fixed the earth with pegs around it.4. Ye have made spacious room for sacrificing by generating Surya, Dawn, and Agni. O Heroes, ye have conquered in your battles even the bull-jawed Dasa's wiles and magic.

Answer 5

Nārāyaņa

The vedas Glorify Lord Srimannarayana as Their Object of desire. The Vedas say :-

न तस्य प्रतिमा अस्ति यस्य नाम महद्यशः॥

~ Sukla Yajur veda samhita 32.3

While the Ramayana explains the significance of this verse :-

सुमेरुशिखरासीना मन्दारद्रुममूलगाः । दिविषत्कन्यका राम गायन्ति भवतो यशः ॥२४॥ वेदैरपि न निर्णयं यस्य नाम महद्यशः । के नाम तापसास्तत्र वयं वर्णयितुं क्षमाः ॥२५॥

Seated beneath the peaks of Mount Meru, the celestial maidens sing your praises in this manner. The Vedas themselves cannot fathom the magnitude of the great fame bearing Sri Ram’s name, so what ability do we ascetics possess to describe it?

~ Adi Ramayana, Purva Khand 93.24-25

I've already written an answer, based on Both shastras and Historical pramanas, Proving the authenticity of This Ramayana, hence the "later written" card is not going to work (just in case). The Upanishad says :

यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्णमचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम् । नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ॥ ६ ॥

~ Mundaka Upanishad 1.1.6

And the Shastras Elaborate the same thing for Lord Vishnu as :

नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं च तदव्ययम् ॥ ८६॥

~ Mahopanishad & Lakshminarayana samhita 1.523

एकमेवाद्वितीयं यत्परं ब्रह्म सनातनम् ।। गीयमानं च वेदांतैस्तस्मान्नास्ति परं द्विज ।। ३३-६२ ।।

That which is the greatest and eternal Brahman is the only one without a second (Chandogya Up. 6.2.1) O Brahmaņa, it is thus sung about by the Vedantic passages. There is nothing greater than that.

~ Narada Puran 1.33.62

While smritis like Brihad yogyajnavalkya assign chandogya as an Upanishad praising Visnu. The brahmana says :-

वैष्णवीषु स्तुवन्ति - विष्णुर् वै परमो देवतानां - परमया देवतयाभिषिच्यमानो ऽभिषिच्याता इति।

In the hymns to Visnu - Lord Vishnu is considered the supreme among deities, being consecrated with the highest deity consecration.

~ Jaiminīyaṃ brāhmaṇam 2.192

Vishnu has been repeatedly called the source/cause of Tridevas :-

ॐ यो ह वै श्रीरामचन्द्रः स भगवान् यो ब्रह्मा विष्णुर्महेश्वरो यः सर्वदेवात्मा भूर्भुवः सुवस्तस्मै वै नमो नमः ॥ ५ ॥

Om, He who is Shri Rama, He is the Supreme Lord; He is Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara (Shiva); He is the Self of all gods; to Him, I bow repeatedly.

~ Rāma uttara tāpanīye Upanishad 4.5

यो वा त्रिमूर्तिः परमः परश्च त्रिगुणं जुषाणः सकलं विधत्ते । त्रिधा त्रिधा वा विदधे समस्तं त्रिधा त्रिरूपं सकलं धराय स्वाहा ॥ १.७ ॥

This is the supreme and transcendental Trimurti, who governs all three gunas (qualities of nature). He creates everything in three forms and sustains the entire universe. I offer my homage to this Trimurti, who manifests in three aspects and sustains all three worlds.

~ Yajur veda, vaikhanas samhita 7.2.1.7 (Parmatika Upanishad anuvaka)

Vishnu is the "ऋतं सत्यं पर ब्रह्म" purusha of the vedas :-

ऋतं सत्यं पर ब्रह्म कृष्ण पिङ्गलपूरुष ॥ ऊर्ध्वरेतो विरूपाक्ष विश्वरूप नमोस्तुते ॥१८॥

~ Padma Purana, kshetra khanda, venkatachala Mahatamya 33.18

इदं पुरुषसूक्तं हि सर्ववेदेषु पार्थिव। ऋतं सत्यं च विख्यातमृषिसिंहेन चिन्तितम्।।

The Purushasūkta and "Ritam Satyam" are famous amogst all the vedas. The lion amongst rishis thought of these and expounded the Purusha.

~ Mahabharata 12.360.5

ऋतं सत्यं परं ब्रह्म पुरुषं कृष्णपिंगळम् । ऊर्ध्वरेतं विरूपाक्षं विश्वरूपाय वै नमः । इति ध्यानं तथा कृत्वा पुंसूक्तजपमाचरेत् ।। १४ ।।

~ Parasara samhita 7.14

शिवं शान्तमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते (~ Mand. Up) praises Śrī Hari alone. The Direct Up-brahmana of the verse is found in Several Upanishads, include Narasimha Uttar tapniye Upanishad, that Encompasses the entire Mandukya Upanishad, Pūrva Tapniye as well, where The Mantra शान्तं शिवमद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः (Nr. Purv.tp 4.2 and 1.5). Same Is found in the Other Upanishad as well  एमेकात्मप्रत्ययसारं प्रपञ्चोपशमं शान्तं शिवं अद्वैतं चतुर्थं मन्यन्ते । स आत्मा स विज्ञेयः (Ram. Utt tap) and नारायणं शिवं शान्तं सर्ववेदान्तगोचर (Nara. Utt. Tp), which Triumphantly declares that Narayana is declared similarly, as said by the entire Vedanta. We have Several Paurnic cross reference regarding the same as well, including एष धाता विधाता च प्रमाणो निष्कलः शिवः (Vis. Dharm. Pur 3.340),एकोऽयं स शिवो देवः स चायं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितः  (skd.pur 7.2.18), एकं शिवं शान्तमनन्तमच्युतं परात्परं (Kalika puran 28.4) and so on. He is the one in whom all have their base :

ऋ॒चः प॒दं मात्र॑या क॒ल्पय॑न्तोऽर्ध॒र्चेन॑ चाक्लृपु॒र्विश्व॒मेज॑त्। त्रि॒पाद्ब्रह्म॑ पुरु॒रूपं॒ वि त॑ष्ठे॒ तेन॑ जीवन्ति प्र॒दिश॒श्चत॑स्रः ॥

The Cosmic force producing the foot of Rik with measure arranange the moving world with half of the Rik. The. Supreme spirit who is Tripad, the creator protector and anmilator makes the world of multifarious forms and through Him four regions have their being.

~ Atharva Veda 9. 10.19

He is the "सत्यसङ्कल्पः" Mentioned by the chandogya Upanishad 8.7.1 as "त्वमेव सत्यसङ्कल्पः सत्यकाम इति श्रुतिः" (Bhargava Purana 2.1.33).

Nearly all major Kalpasutras Attribute the purusha hymn in the praise of Vishnu, including

पुरुषसूक्तेन विष्णुमभ्यर्च्य

~ baudhāyanagṛhyasūtram 4.20.2

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपादिति पुरुषेण नारायणेन शतातृण्णꣳ सौवर्णꣳ रुक्मं यजमानस्य शिरसि निदधाति ।।

~ hiraṇyakeśi śrautasūtram 14.4.40/14.6.8

सहस्रशीर्षा पुरुष इति पुरुषेण नारायणेन सौवर्णेन शतमानेन शतक्षरेण शतकृष्णलेन यजमानस्य शीर्षन्नधिनिदधाति ।

~ Āpastamba Śrautasūtra 20.20.2

He is verily the subject of "ईशावास्यम् इदं सर्वं यत् किञ्च जगत्यां जगत" of Ishopanishad, as said "ईशावास्यमिदं सर्वं महदादिजगद्धरिः" (Ag.Pur.216.14),"ईशावास्यमिदं सर्व भवता गुण सिन्धुना" (Adi.Ram.1.94) and so on.

This was just the tip of the iceberg. Many people talk about the fact that the lord's name, but little do they realise that It is Bhagavāna Nārāyaņa only, who is sung in all names and forms. It is not possible to sum up everything directly, since there are thousands of pramanas, but This much is enough to give a glimpse of what's there behind the curtains.